Battery pack for electrical hearing aids



May 26,l942.-

w. E. scHAuER .BATTERY PACK FOR ELECTRICAL HEARING AIDS Filed May 3, 1941 FYI E2 Z :2

14/411512 E. swmuse.

Patented May 26, 1942 I I STATES PATENT orrlce BATTERY PACK FOR ELSECTRICAL HEARING AID Walter E. Schauer, Forest Park, Ill., assignor to Otarion, Inc., Chicago, 111.,

Illinois a corporation of Application May 3, 1941, Serial No. 391,762

4 Claims.

This invention relates to hearing aid outfits usually employed by persons with defective hearing, the invention concerning particularly animproved unitary battery pack or assembly for supplying A battery current and B batterycurrent for thermionic tubes, sound receiving microphone structure, and other controlling elements housed within a compact case carried in the pocket or supported from the clothing and v and the A battery into a hinged cover struc-' ture or closure for the case so that when the case is closed it will be in compact substantially rectangular form with the A battery end semiv A further object is to provide a flap secured 'l' to and extending from the upper part of the backwall of the casing body to be applied around the top of the B battery to lock the battery within the casing body and also to support terminals connected with the A battery.

A further object is to provide a terminal pad supporting terminals for engaging with the B battery terminals and other terminals for engaging with the A battery terminals on the flap, with the arrangement such that when this pad is applied and the casing cover structure is closed, the A battery will be forced down against the terminal pad to securely engage and hold the pad terminals in contact with the respective battery terminals.

The above enumerated and other features of the invention are embodied in the structure shown on the drawing, in which drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the pack with the cover structure in open position;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the pack with the cover closed, and partly in section on line 11-11 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan View of the terminal pad; L

Figure 4 is a section in plane IVIV of Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is a section in plane VV of Figure 1. I

The case shown comprises a rectangular body Ill preferably of comparatively flexible material, such as leather, and dimensioned to receive a B battery H. The hood or cover structure [2 for the top of the casing body H) is also of material such as leather so as to have hinge connection with the body along the top of the back wall thereof for swinging to open position (Figure 1) or to closed position (Figure 2). When the cover structure is closed its side walls partially overlap the sides of the body and its front wall partially overlaps the front wall of the body and terminates in a flap or tongue section l3 having a snap socket M for engagement with a snap button l5 secured to the casing front wall.

Within the top portion of the cover structure is a frame or shell 16 of metal or other suitable material. This shell is of substantially semicircular transverse section and is secured to the covertop as by rivets H, the shell extending with its ends against the sides of the cover, the

shell giving the top of the cover a semi-cylindrical shape, the corners of the shell being rounded so that the corners of the cover top may be likewise rounded so that when the case is carried in the pocket with the cover end down there will be no sharp corners to wear out the pocket bottom.

The shell l6 also serves as a holder for the A battery IS. A coiled spring I9 is secured to and extends from one end of the casing for engagement with the base of the A battery, and to the other end of the shell is secured an insulating block 20 which mounts the contact 2| for engagement with the terminal tip of the A battery. The spring;l9 electrically connects the cylindrical casing of the battery with the frame or shell l6 and by its pressure engagement with the battery it holds it in the frame l6 from which it may readily be removed when desired.

Secured to the back wall of the casing l0 adjacent the top thereof is a tab or flap 22 for extension across the top of the B battery I i and engagement of its snap socket 23 with a snap button 24 secured to the front wall of the casing body I0, one function of the flap being thus to hold the B battery in the casing.

The flap 22 has secured on its upper side the contact plates 25 and 26 connected by conductors 2'! and 21 respectively with the frame l6 and the contact 2| in the block 20 so that the contact plates 2 5 and 26 on the flap will constitute the terminals of the battery circuit.

' and 32 for engagement with the B battery terminals 28 and 29 respectively, and contacts 33 and 34 for engagement with the battery circuit terminal plates 25 and 26 on the flap 22; In

order that the terminal pad may be properly applied, and releasably locked to the B battery, one of the terminals, such as the terminal 28 of the battery may be in' the form of snap socket and the corresponding'contact' 3| on the terminal pad may be a snap button for engaging in the socket, and the other terminal. 29' of. the B battery would then be a snap button for, receiving the snap socket 32 on the terminal pad;

When the pad is applied with, its terminals into I snap engagement with the battery, terminals,

the contacts 33 and 34, on the padwill be held in engagement 'with the battery circuit ter minal plates Hand 26. Preferably the pad, contacts 33' and 34 terminate in spring ends 33' and 34, for more securecontact with the A battery terminal plates. ,Thearrangement of the A battery in the cover or the casing is such that. when this cover structure is closed and locked, the A battery will engage the terminal pad and exertv pressure thereagainst for holding the pad contact securely inengagementwith the B battery terminals, and the, A battery terminal plates on the flap 22. Wires 35 extend from the terminal pad contacts for conducting the battery current to the microphone, and other elements within a microphone case (not shown), and the conductors are twisted into a compact cable or cord 35. Thiscord' may projectfrom the, rear corner of. the pad 30, and between the adjacent side walls of the casing body and the cover when the cover is closed.

I have shown and described a practical and emcient embcdiment of the features of my invention but I do not desire to be limited to'the exact construction and arrangement shown and described as changes'and modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention.

I claim asmy, invention:

l. A battery pack comprising a casing body A battery terminals and disposed between the terminals of said B battery when said flap is in secured position, a current supply cir-' cuit terminal pad for insertion between said casing body and cover and having terminals for engagement with the B battery terminals and having other terminals: for engagement'with said A battery terminals, the A battery being adapted upon closure of said cover to engage with and exert pressure against saidterminal. pad for secure engagement of its terminals Withi the battery terminals, a

2. A battery pack for electrical hearing aids comprising a rectangular casing body and a B Bbattery between therbattery terminals, means 1 battery therein, a flap on said body extensible across the top thereof to overlie the top of said supporting an A battery within said cover, terminal plates for said battery mounted on said flap to be located between the 3 battery terminals, a, removable flexible terminal pad for conductors for receiving current fromsaid batteries, said pad having terminals engageable with the B battery terminals and having other terminals engageable with said A battery terminals, and means for releasably holding said cover closed with said A battery in pressure between said terminals, a flap on said casing extensible across the top of the B battery bea terminal pad for external conductors insertable between saidcasing body and cover and having terminals engageable with the B terminals and having other terminals engageable with saidfA battery terminal plates, and means for releasably locking said cover in closed position with said A battery in pressure engagement with, said pad for holding said pad terminals securely against said battery terminals.

4. Abattery pack for hearing aids comprising a rectangular casing body of comparatively flexible materialsuchias leather, a rectangular cover for said casing of, flexible material such as leather and having its upper portion of semicylindrical shape, the. rear wall of said cover connecting with the upper end of the rear wall of said casing body whereby said cover may be swung to open or closed position, a supporting frame secured within the semi-cylindrical portion of said cover, an A battery detachably mounted in said supporting, frame, a B battery in said casing body, a flap extending from the upper end of the rear wall of said casing for extension across the top of said B battery and detachable means securing the front edgeof said flap to the front wall of said casing body whereby to hold said B battery in said casing body, terminal plates on said flap disposed between the terminals of said B battery when said flap is in secured position, said terminal plates being connected with the terminals of said A battery, a terminal pad of flexible material having contacts for engagement with the B battery contacts and having other contacts engageable with said batteryterminal plates on said flap, and a flap extending from the front wall of said cover and detachable means for securing said flap to the front wall of said casing body to 'hold said cover in closed position, said cover flap'whensecured holding said A battery with pressure engagement against said pad for holding: said, pad'terminals securely against said battery terminals. V

' WALTER E. SCI-IAUER. 

